Pipe stand

ABSTRACT

A pipe support has an outer tubular support wall, an inner tubular support wall, spaced inwardly from the outer tubular support wall, and a connecting portion for maintaining the outer tubular support wall and the inner tubular support wall in a fixed, spaced apart relationship. The pipe support is intended for use in-trench and out-of-trench for supporting a pipeline during assembly, installation, testing and operation.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is the U.S. national stage application of InternationalApplication No. PCT/CA2011/050456, filed Jul. 26, 2011, whichInternational application was published on Feb. 2, 2012 as InternationalPublication No. WO 2012/012898 A1 in the English language, and whichapplication is incorporated herein by reference. The Internationalapplication claims priority of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No.61/368,104, filed Jul. 27, 2010, which application is incorporatedherein by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates generally to the field of pipeline installationand in particular to methods and products for supporting a pipelineduring assembly and installation both out of the trench and in thetrench.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The basic process of installing buried pipelines generally includes thesteps of digging a long trench for the pipeline, laying out sections ofpipe end to end and adjacent to the trench line, joining the sections ofpipe into a continuous pipeline, placing the pipeline into the trench,backfilling the trench, and hydro-testing the pipeline, prior to puttingthe pipeline into service.

The pipeline must be held off the ground during the pipeline assemblyprocess, the joining together of the individual sections of pipe, andupon installation of the pipeline in the trench.

During the pipeline joining process, the sections of pipe are generallysupported off the ground to prevent pipe and coating damage as well asto provide full and easy access to each pipe joint for joining.

The most prevalent method of supporting pipes outside the trench priorto joining is the use of large wooden skids, which are positioned in analternating, interlocking box pattern that can be scaled to whateverheight is required. This method may be rather costly, since the skidswhich are relatively heavy, must be manually placed prior to lowering ofthe pipe sections and later manually removed and loaded onto trucksfollowing the placement of the pipeline into the trench. Mechanicalremoval methods are also available but can be costly as well.

U.S. Pat. No. 7,278,613 to Roy is directed to a pipeline skid and a skidsystem for use in pipeline construction.

Support cones made of polymeric material are also sometimes used forsupporting pipe sections out of trench, but typically only for smalldiameter pipes of less than 24 inches diameter (600 mm diameter orless). These cones have a pipe size and weight limitation and are meantfor a single height and are not used in the trench. These cones are notusable for supporting the pipeline in the trench, since they aretypically too tall and do not have sufficient load bearing capacity tosupport the pipeline during backfilling and continuity testing duringwhich the pipeline is completely filled with water. Of course, the waterused for hydrostatic testing adds a significant amount of weight to besupported, in fact a multiple of the weight of the pipeline itself. Thecones are particularly prone to collapse when sideways forces areapplied under load, because of twisting, bending, or sideways movementof the pipeline during the installation process.

Installations of buried pipelines in areas where rocks or stones arepresent often require some form of protection to prevent damage to thecoating of the pipes, or the pipe itself. For proper pipelineinstallation, the pipeline must be held off the bottom of the trench toallow for the free flow of backfill material in the trench and aroundthe pipeline. Current methods for holding the pipe up off the trenchbottom are expensive and can cause pipeline damage.

In trench pipeline support is currently achieved in various ways. The intrench supporting methods used are intended to not only prevent damageto the pipe but also to prevent interference with the pipe corrosionprotection methods used. Generally, pipeline corrosion is prevented byinjecting a low voltage protection current of one volt into the soil,which current is transmitted to the pipe and prevents corrosion atlocations where the pipe coating may have been damaged, thereby exposingthe metal of the pipe to the soil. Electrical contact between the pipeand the soil is generally made through water in the soil.

US 2003/0218103 is directed to a pipeline support for in trench pipelinesupport.

One in trench support method includes the placement of piles of sand inthe trench to hold the pipeline off the trench bottom until backfilling.Although this can be a suitable method for light, small diameterpipelines (up to 323.9 mm diameter), it is often unsuitable for largerdiameter pipelines, since the uneven support provided by a sand pile maycause the pipe to deform and become oval which is an unacceptable andexpensive problem to remedy. Moreover, the installation of sand piles isvery difficult in installations wherein the pipeline is joined above thetrench, since it is hard to reach over the pipe to properly place thesand piles in the trench.

Another in trench supporting method employs sandbags, which areinstalled in the trench to hold the pipeline off the trench bottom. Ifnot properly placed, sandbag supports can create a hard spot where thepipeline is likely to dent or oval, which is an unacceptable andexpensive problem to remedy, as mentioned above. More importantly, thesheer number of sandbags required with this method, all of which have tobe manually placed, makes it very difficult to ensure proper care ismaintained in the sandbag placement. Finally, since sandbags must bepositioned manually, safety is a concern with personnel in the pipelinetrench for extended periods, since trench depth often exceeds 4 feet(1.2 m) and trenches may be subject to ground water intrusion.

Foam can be sprayed into the trench to hold the pipeline off the trenchbottom until back filling. This pipeline supporting method may raiseconcerns over the environmental impact of the foaming chemical.Moreover, cost of the foam materials is relatively high, the foamrequires significant time to harden to the point where it can supportthe weight of the pipeline and there is a definite potential for thecured strength of the foam being insufficient for supporting thepipeline during continuity testing. Finally, the availability of andaccess to foaming equipment is an issue, particularly in remote areasand in rugged terrain. Of course, the foam material also has thepotential to shield the pipeline's cathodic protection system.

The use of foam pillows placed into the pipeline trench to hold thepipeline off the trench bottom until back filling is also known. Thefoam pillows used are generally pre-fabricated and are typically coveredin plastic to somewhat address the potential concerns over theenvironmental impact of the foam material. However, as with the sandbagmethod, the placement of the foam pillows often requires personnel inthe trench. In addition, foam pillows are lightweight and can either beblown or floated out of position prior to the pipeline being installed(ground water is often present in areas of stony or rocky terrain).Another significant concern with using foam pillows is the highlikelihood of cathodic shielding. As mentioned above, the electricalsystem of protecting the pipeline steel from rusting by injecting a lowvoltage current into the ground is impeded by the foam and/or plasticcovering and the material of the foam pillows themselves.

Consequently a method and apparatus for supporting a pipeline or pipesections prior to installation (out of trench) and/or once installed (inthe trench) is required which overcomes at least one of the problemsencountered with current pipeline supporting methods and apparatus.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A preferred pipeline support in accordance with the invention includes ahollow body for supporting a length of pipe, which body includes anouter supporting wall, an inner supporting wall spaced inwardly from theouter supporting wall, and a connecting portion for maintaining theinner and outer walls in a fixed, spaced apart relationship. The innerand outer supporting walls both have a lower end for engagement with theground and an upper end for supporting the length of pipe.

In one aspect, the invention provides a pipe support having a tubularouter support wall, a tubular inner support wall having a generallyfrustoconical shape, spaced inwardly from the outer support wall, and aconnecting portion for maintaining the outer support wall and the innersupport wall in a fixed, spaced apart relationship.

In an embodiment of the invention, the outer support wall also forms agenerally frustoconical shape, the outer support wall being taperedupwardly and the inner support wall being tapered downwardly.

In an embodiment of the invention, the inner support wall, the outersupport wall and the connecting portion combine to form a pipe saddlefor supporting the pipe.

In an embodiment of the invention, at least one of the inner and outersupport wall comprises a plurality of shaped wall sections withintermediate spacing webs.

In an embodiment of the invention, each of the inner and outer supportwall comprises a plurality of shaped wall sections with intermediateinner and outer spacing webs respectively, and the connecting portionincludes a plurality of connecting sections extending radially betweenthe inner and outer shaped wall sections and the inner and outer spacingwebs. In this embodiment, the pipe saddle is formed by the connectingsections extending radially between the inner and outer shaped wallsections and the connecting sections extending radially between theinner and outer spacing webs maintain the inner and outer support wallsat a fixed spacing.

In an embodiment of the invention, the shaped wall sections have atrapezoidal or triangular shape.

In an embodiment of the invention, the outer shaped wall sections areupwardly tapered.

In an embodiment of the invention, an outer shaped wall section, aradially opposed inner shaped wall section and a section of theconnecting portion extending therebetween form a support pillar.

In an embodiment of the invention, the pipe saddle is supported by threeor more of the support pillars.

In an embodiment of the invention, the inner support wall, the outersupport wall, or both, have a support flange proximate the bottom end ofthe support wall for engagement with the ground.

In an embodiment of the invention, the bottom end of the inner supportwall has an inner support flange and the bottom end of the outer supportwall has an outer support flange, the inner support flange being spacedvertically upward from the outer support flange to provide a verticalgap between the bottom of the outer support flange and the bottom of theinner support flange, when the pipe support is in a no load state.

In a further aspect, the present invention provides a pipe supporthaving a tubular outer support wall having a generally frustoconicalshape, a tubular inner support wall, spaced inwardly from the outersupport wall, and a connecting portion for maintaining the outer supportwall and the inner support wall in a fixed, spaced apart relationship.

In an embodiment of the invention, the plurality of shaped wall sectionshave a recess and a support stop, for receiving and supporting anotherpipe support stacked vertically above the pipe support.

The body can have a top surface connecting the upper end of the innerand outer supporting wall, which top surface is preferably shaped toconform to the outer shape of the length of pipe to be supported,forming a pipe saddle. In one embodiment the connecting portion is at ornear the top surface. However, the connecting portion may be at a lowerposition so that it does not form the top surface and the pipe isinstead supported on the upper end of the inner and outer supportingwalls, allowing for added strength and interlocking design.

The inner supporting wall defines an opening in the body of the pipesupport which extends from the upper end to the bottom end of the innersupporting wall to provide a passage from the length of pipe to theground, when the length of pipe is supported on the ground by the pipesupport. In an embodiment of the invention, the opening is substantiallycentral for an even load bearing capacity.

The top surface preferably includes one or more recesses to provide apassage beneath a supported length of pipe from the opening to anexterior of the body to provide a path to allow a cathodic protectionflow to the surface of the supported pipe.

A height of the inner supporting wall is preferably lower than a heightof the outer supporting wall. The inner and outer supporting walls arepreferably annular, most preferably of frustoconical shape. One or moresupporting ribs can be provided in the inner and/or outer surfaces ofthe inner or outer supporting walls for increasing a lateral stabilityof the inner or outer supporting walls as well as increasing their loadbearing capacity.

The top surface is preferably provided with at least one openingconnecting the top surface with the hollow interior of the body in orderto allow trapped air from escaping from within the hollow body. A groundsupporting flange is provided on the bottom end of at least one of theinner and outer supporting walls. The top surface of the body ispreferably generally concave and divided into a plurality of pipesupporting areas which are evenly spaced and separated by intermediatestep down sections which provide stacking shoulders for supporting thebottom end of the outer supporting wall of another like pipe support.The stacking shoulders allow for the stacking of two or more layers ofpipe supports in an interlocking relationship. In an embodiment of theinvention there are 4 to 10 pipe supporting areas. In an embodiment ofthe invention, 6 pipe supporting areas allow for one particularly stablestacking configuration.

Each wall can be divided into individual tapered and weight bearing wallportions and respectively interconnecting, non-weight bearing wallportions. The outer wall portions are preferably upwardly tapered andthe inner wall portions downwardly tapered. The upper end of each wallportion is preferably constructed for engagement with the length of pipeto be supported. The height of each wall portion is preferably adjustedto the diameter of the pipe to be supported so that the length of pipecan be supported across the top of the pipe support in such a way that acentral axis of the pipe is supported vertically above a center of thepipe support.

To allow for a slight deformation of the pipe support in order to insurea best fit of the pipe support to the shape of the supported length ofpipe, the body is preferably constructed such that when the pipe supportis supported on the ground without a supported pipe, the innersupporting wall is upwardly spaced from the ground. The inner supportingwall is preferably upwardly spaced from the ground by at least 0.5 inch(12.7) mm.

The pipe support is preferably shaped to be stackable in one or morelayers, as described above. The pipe support is also preferably shapedto be nestable with other like pipe supports in order to reduce thespace requirements for transport. In order to avoid jamming of one pipesupport into another in the nested condition, the outer supporting wallis preferably provided with exterior spacer tabs, which maintain nestedpipe supports in a slightly spaced apart, yet nested condition. Interiorspacer tabs may also be provided on the inner supporting wall for morereliable jamming prevention and to allow the use of nested pipe supportsin supporting the length of pipe.

Contacting surfaces of the pipe support, which means those surfaceswhich during use of the pipe support come in contact with the pipe to besupported are preferably textured in order to increase access ofmoisture to the pipe in the installed condition and to decrease anydanger of electric insulation of the pipe surface from the cathodic pipeprotection current in the installed condition. In an embodiment of theinvention, the texture is provided by a plurality of nubs formed withand extending from the respective surface or surfaces.

In a further aspect, the present invention provides a pipe supporthaving an outer perimeter of tubular outer supports, an inner perimeterof tubular inner supports, spaced inwardly from the outer supports, anda connecting portion for maintaining the outer supports and the innersupports in a fixed, spaced apart relationship.

In an embodiment of the invention, the inner supports have a generallyfrustoconical shape.

In an embodiment of the invention, the outer supports have a generallyfrustoconical shape. Thus, the inner and outer supporting walls can bemade of a plurality of frustoconical tubes which each form part of apipe supporting wall of the pipe support.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way ofexample only, with reference to the attached Figures, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective top view of a first embodiment of a pipe supportof the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective bottom view of the pipe support of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an isometric side view of the pipe support of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is another isometric side view of the pipe support of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a bottom plan view of the pipe support of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a perspective top view of a second embodiment of a pipesupport of the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a perspective bottom view of the pipe support of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is an isometric side view of the pipe support of FIG. 6;

FIG. 9 is another isometric side view of the pipe support of FIG. 6;

FIG. 10 is a bottom plan view of the pipe support of FIG. 6;

FIG. 11 is a perspective top view of a third embodiment of a pipesupport of the present invention;

FIG. 12 is a perspective bottom view of the pipe support of FIG. 11;

FIG. 13 is an isometric side view of the pipe support of FIG. 11;

FIG. 14 is another isometric side view of the pipe support of FIG. 11;

FIG. 15 is a bottom plan view of the pipe support of FIG. 11;

FIG. 16 is a cross-sectional view of the pipe support of FIG. 11, takenalong line A-A in FIG. 15;

FIG. 17 is an isometric top view of a fourth embodiment of a pipesupport of the present invention;

FIG. 18 is an isometric bottom view of the pipe support of FIG. 17;

FIG. 19 is a side view of the pipe support of FIG. 17;

FIG. 20 is another side view of the pipe support of FIG. 17;

FIG. 21 is a top plan view of the pipe support of FIG. 17;

FIG. 22 is an isometric top view of a fifth embodiment of a pipe supportof the present invention;

FIG. 23 is a front elevational view of the pipe support of FIG. 22;

FIG. 24 is a side elevational view of the pipe support of FIG. 22;

FIG. 25 is a top plan view of the pipe support of FIG. 22;

FIG. 26 is a cross-sectional view of the pipe support of FIG. 22, takenalong line A-A in FIG. 25;

FIG. 27 is a cross-sectional view of the pipe support of FIG. 22, takenalong line B-B in FIG. 25;

FIG. 28 is an isometric top view of a sixth embodiment of a pipe supportof the present invention;

FIG. 29 is a front elevational view of the pipe support of FIG. 28;

FIG. 30 is a side elevational view of the pipe support of FIG. 28;

FIG. 31 is a top plan view of the pipe support of FIG. 28;

FIG. 32 is an isometric top view of a seventh embodiment of a pipesupport of the present invention;

FIG. 33 is an isometric top view of an eighth embodiment of a pipesupport of the present invention;

FIG. 34 is an isometric view of the pipe support of FIG. 22, in astacked (two high) linear configuration;

FIG. 35 is an isometric view of the pipe support of FIG. 22, in astacked (three high) wide configuration;

FIG. 36 is an isometric view of the pipe support of FIG. 22, in a nestedconfiguration for storage or transport;

FIG. 37 is an isometric view of a ninth embodiment of a pipe support ofthe present invention;

FIG. 38 is a top plan view of the pipe support of FIG. 37;

FIG. 39 is an isometric view of a tenth embodiment of a pipe support ofthe present invention;

FIG. 40 is a top plan view of the pipe support of FIG. 39;

FIG. 41 is an isometric view of the pipe support of FIG. 39 in a nestedconfiguration for storage or transport;

FIG. 42 is an isometric top view of an eleventh embodiment of a pipesupport of the present invention;

FIG. 43 is a front view of the pipe support of FIG. 42;

FIG. 44 is a side view of the pipe support of FIG. 42;

FIG. 45 is a top view of the pipe support of FIG. 42;

FIG. 46 is a section view of the pipe support of FIG. 45, taken alongline A-A;

FIG. 47 illustrates a method of installing a pipe support in accordancewith the invention in a pipeline trench; and

FIG. 48 shows a support plate for use with the pipe support of FIGS.1-41.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Generally, the present invention provides a pipe support with a hollowbody for supporting a length of pipe, which body includes a generallytubular outer supporting wall, a generally tubular inner supporting wallspaced inwardly from the outer supporting wall, and a connecting portionfor maintaining the inner and outer walls in a fixed, spaced apartrelationship. The inner and outer supporting walls both have a lower endfor engagement with the ground and an upper end for supporting thelength of pipe. The cross-section of the inner and outer supportingwalls can have any geometric shape, but is preferably generally oval orcircular. Quadrilateral (square or rectangular), or polygonalcross-sections are also possible. An elliptical cross-sectional shapeprovides a narrower profile along the pipeline axis to facilitate lessground congestion for out of trench use and better fit for in trenchuse.

In the first preferred embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1-5, the pipesupport 10 includes an outer, generally tubular support wall 20 having aground engaging bottom end 21 and a pipe supporting top end 22; an innersupport wall 30 spaced inwardly from the outer support wall 20 andhaving a generally frustoconical shape with a ground engaging bottom end31 and a pipe supporting top end 32. A connecting portion 40 is providedfor maintaining the outer support wall 20 and the inner support wall 30in a fixed, spaced apart relationship.

Preferably, the outer support wall 20 has a generally frustoconicalshape. More preferably, the inner support wall 30 has a generallydownwardly tapered frustoconical shape and the outer support wall 20 hasa generally upwardly tapered frustoconical shape. The top end 22 of theouter support wall 20 and the top end 32 of the inner support wall 30,together with the connecting portion 40 form a pipe saddle 100 forsupporting the pipe. A base flange 80 is preferably provided at thebottom end of the outer support wall 20. The pipe support 10 may befabricated such that one or more portions of the base flange 80 arespaced from the ground to provide a vertical gap 130 between the groundand the base flange 80 (see FIGS. 3 and 4) when the pipe support is in ano load state. The surface of the pipe saddle 100 (or any other portionof the pipe support in contact with the pipe) is preferably textured,preferably in the form of a plurality of small nubs (not shown) and/oropenings in the form of slots 110 to facilitate the flow of a cathodicprotection current.

The second and third embodiments shown in FIGS. 6-10 and 11-16respectively, are of a similar construction as the first embodiment ofFIGS. 1-5, except for the shape of the openings 110 in the second andthird embodiments and the provision of reinforcing ribs 140 on the outersupporting wall 20 and on the inner supporting wall 30 in the thirdembodiment illustrated in FIGS. 11-16.

In the fourth embodiment of the pipe support of the invention, as shownin FIGS. 17-21, the pipe support 10 again includes a tubular outersupport wall 20, and a tubular inner support wall 30 spaced inwardlyfrom the outer support wall 20, and a connecting portion 40 formaintaining the outer support wall 20 and the inner support wall 30 in afixed, spaced apart relationship. The inner and outer support walls 30,20 are preferably coaxial with a common axis 150 (see FIGS. 21, 25, 31).In this embodiment and the following embodiments shown in FIGS. 22-33,the pipe saddle 100 is interrupted by several radially extending groovesor recesses 101 (see in particular FIG. 33), which allow for stacking ofthe pipe support 10, as will be discussed in more detail further below.As a result, at least one of the inner support wall 30 and the outersupport wall 20 is divided into a plurality of spaced apart, outershaped wall sections 50 and inner shaped wall sections 55 respectively,which wall sections 50, 55 are interconnected by intermediate spacingwebs 60 defining the width of the recesses 101. The shaped wall sections50, 55 preferably have a trapezoidal or triangular shape. Morepreferably, each of the outer shaped wall sections 50 is upwardlytapered and each of the inner shaped wall sections 55 is downwardlytapered.

Preferably, the inner support wall 30 and the outer support wall 20 areformed by a ring of shaped wall sections 50, 55 respectively, fixed in aspaced apart relationship by the intermediate spacing webs 60 betweenadjacent shaped wall sections 50, 55. The shaped wall sections 50, 55are structurally designed to provide the strength to support a pipe (notshown), while maintaining a high load to weight ratio. The shaped wallsections 50, 55 may be shaped to provide both vertical support andlateral support, for example having a trapezoidal shape or triangularshape or a mixture of such shapes, to carry the load of the pipe to theground. Preferably, the outer wall includes a plurality of outer wallsections 50, spaced apart by the intermediate spacing webs 60. In thefourth embodiment (and those of FIGS. 22-33), each outer shaped wallsection 50 includes a pair of wall portions 52 and an intermediateconnecting web 54. The wall portions 52 are generally flat, or slightlyconvex, while the connecting web 54 is generally concave. Thiscombination of shapes provides each outer wall section 50 with a highrigidity and load bearing capacity. All joining edges between the wallportions 52 and the connecting web 54, as well as between the wallportions 52 and the spacing webs 60 are rounded to reduce stressconcentrations. The inner and outer spacing webs 60 form recesses in theinner and outer support walls 30, 20, which are connected by a shoulder42 for supporting a vertically stacked, like pipe support, whichshoulder 42 is formed by a recessed section of the connection portion 40found in the recess 101. The lower end 31 of the inner support wall 30and the lower end 21 of the outer support wall 20 include a base flange80 to spread the bearing load on the ground and reduce the load per unitarea. The base flange 80 on the outer support wall 20 preferably extendsradially outward, while the base flange 80 on the inner support wall 30preferably extends radially inward.

The inner support wall 30 and the outer support wall 20 are joined attheir upper ends 32 and 22 respectively with the connecting portion 40to form the pipe saddle 100 for supporting a pipe (not shown). The pipesaddle 100 is structurally integrated with the shaped wall sections 50,55 of the inner and outer support wall 30, 20 respectively. The joiningcorners are rounded to reduce stress concentrations. The pipe saddle 100helps spread the bearing load on the pipe and to maintain the inner andouter support walls 30, 20 at a fixed spacing.

In the fourth to tenth embodiments, shown in FIGS. 17-41, each pairingof an outer shaped wall section 50 and the diametrically opposite innershaped wall section 55, define, together with a section 41 of theintermediate connecting portion 40, a support pillar 51, with the top ofthe pillar 51 forming the pipe saddle 100. The support pillars 51 arepositioned symmetrically about the central axis 150 of the inner andouter support walls. In the fourth embodiment, the outer wall 20includes 8 outer shaped wall sections and 8 inner shaped wall sections,together forming 8 support pillars. Thus, in the fourth to tenthembodiments, the connecting portion 40 is divided into multiple topsections, or pipe saddle portions 41 extending between the inner andouter support walls 30, 20 on top of the support pillars 51 and multipleshoulders 42 located in the recesses 101 between the support pillars 51,the width of the recesses being defined by the spacing webs 60. The topsections 41 extend on top of the support pillars 51 and together formthe pipe saddle 100.

A pipe support in accordance with the present invention includes atleast 3, preferably 6, more preferably 8 or more support pillars 51,which are arranged concentrically about the common axis 150.

In the fifth to tenth embodiment, the basic structure of the pipesupport 10 is the same as in the fourth embodiment, except for thenumber of support pillars 51 and some other structural features, whichwill be discussed in the following.

In the fifth embodiment as shown in FIGS. 22-27, several apertures, oropenings 120 are provided in the pipe support 10 to allow release oftrapped air during installation, to reduce buoyancy, facilitategroundwater flow and facilitate the flow of cathodic protection currentto the pipe. The pipe saddle is formed by the top sections 41, each ofwhich is provided with an opening 120. Each top section 41 preferablyhas a trapezoidal or triangular shape. Six support pillars 51 are formedin this embodiment.

The pipe support 10 of the fifth embodiment further includes supportstops 70 for improved elevated stacking. The support stops 70 may beformed within a shaped wall section 50, preferably within connecting web54, or on the spacing web 60, or both (see FIGS. 22 and 25). When pipesupports 10 are stacked in an aligned manner (e.g. the shaped wallsections 50 of an upper pipe support are aligned with the shaped wallsections 50 of a lower pipe support and the orientations of the pipesaddles are aligned), the pipe supports 10 nest and stack in arelatively compact manner (similar to FIG. 36, showing three pipesupports 10 stacked vertically when aligned). However, when the pipesupports 10 are rotated (about their axis 150) relative to one another,and the lower end or bottom flange 80 of an upper pipe support isreceived in the recesses 101 and supported on the shoulders 42 of alower pipe support, a greater support height is provided (see FIGS. 34and 35) showing multiple pipe supports 10 stacked. Eight support pillars51 are formed in this embodiment.

The pipe support 10 of the sixth embodiment shown in FIGS. 28-31 furtherincludes openings 120 in the outer shaped wall sections 52, inparticular in the connecting web 54. Eight support pillars 51 are formedin this embodiment.

The pipe support 10 of the seventh embodiment shown in FIG. 32, furtherincludes inner support stops 71 for improved elevated stacking. Theinner support stops 71 are formed within an inner shaped wall section55. When pipe supports 10 are stacked in an aligned manner (e.g. theshaped wall sections 50 of an upper pipe support are aligned with theshaped wall sections 50 of a lower pipe support and the orientations ofthe pipe saddles are aligned), the pipe supports 10 nest and stack in arelatively compact manner (similar to FIG. 36, showing three pipesupports 10 stacked vertically when aligned), with the bottom flange 80on the outer supporting wall 20 being supported on the support stops 70and the bottom flange 80 on the inner supporting wall 30 being supportedon the inner support stops 71.

The pipe support 10 of the eighth embodiment shown in FIG. 33, is of thesame principle construction as the seventh embodiment shown in FIG. 32,except for the ratio of the overall height to the diameter of the pipesupport. The pipe support 10 has a relatively higher profile support,adapted to support a pipeline or section of pipe at a height of betweenabout 24″ and about 48″. In first to eighth embodiments of FIGS. 1 to32, the overall height of the pipe support 10 is always less than anouter diameter of the pipe support. This makes the pipe support 10 ofthose embodiments very stable under load. In the eighth embodiment, theoverall height of the pipe support 10 is about equal to an outerdiameter of the pipe support. In general, it is preferable for the ratioof overall height of the pipe support 10 to an outer diameter of thepipe support to be a maximum of 1.

Referring to FIGS. 42-46, a ninth embodiment of the invention is shown.In this embodiment, the pipe support 10, the outer support wall isformed by an outer perimeter of tubular outer supports 150, and theinner support wall is formed by an inner perimeter of tubular innersupports 160, spaced inwardly from the outer supports 150 and theconnecting portion is formed by a connecting plate 170 for maintainingthe outer supports 150 and the inner supports 160 in a fixed, spacedapart relationship. As shown best in FIGS. 42 and 45, a single centralinner support 161 is surrounded by an inner perimeter (shown generallysquare) of inner supports 160 (eight shown) and an outer perimeter(shown generally square) of outer supports 150 (twelve shown). A pipe(not shown) can be supported on the pipe saddle formed by the connectingplate 170. Several holes or openings 180 are provided in the pipesupport 10 to allow release of trapped air during installation (toreduce buoyancy) and facilitate groundwater flow, and again tofacilitate the flow of cathodic protection current to the pipe.

The pipe support 10 of the tenth and eleventh embodiment shown in FIGS.37, 38 and 39, 40 respectively, further includes inner and outerreinforcing webs 142 and 144 for improved bottom rigidity of the pipesupport, which means in the area of the bottom ends 31 and 21 of theinner and outer support walls 30 and 20 and the bottom flanges 80. Thetenth and eleventh embodiments further include openings 122 in thebottom flange for the insertion of anchors (not shown) which maintainthe pipe support in place in the installed condition. In addition, thetenth and eleventh embodiments include a shaped (preferablyquadrilateral) installation opening 123 formed by the bottom flange 80on the inner support wall 30. The shaped installation opening 123 isused for rotationally controlled installation of the pipe support 10 aswill be described in the following.

The pipe support of the invention may be further provided with a supportplate 400 (see FIG. 48) which is either separate and mounted to thesupport, or integral with the bottom flanges 80, in order to increasethe ground engaging area or footprint of the pipe support. This willlower the amount of weight supported for each unit of surface area and,thus, the pressure per surface area exerted by the pipe support on theunderlying soil, to better distribute the load in certain disturbed orunstable soils. The support plate can be a separate plate 400 as shownin FIG. 48 and include 3-10 vertical 1″ nubs 410 for alignment with thepipe support. Preferably, the bottom flange 80 of the pipe support isprovided with a corresponding number of openings or holes (not shown)for engagement by the nubs 410.

During installation of the tenth or eleventh embodiment of the pipesupport, as illustrated in FIG. 47, an elongated installation guide 300of non-circular, preferably quadrilateral, cross-section (for example a2″×4″ wood stud, or an aluminum pipe or rod) and of sufficient length toextend from outside the trench to an installation location 310 of thepipe support 10 at the bottom of the trench 320 is provided. Thecross-sectional shape of the installation guide 300 is selected to becomplementary to the shaped opening 123 in the pipe support 10 and sizedto prevent rotation of the guide in the shaped opening, while permittingthe pipe support 10 to slide along the installation guide. Once aninstallation location is identified, an installer, while holding a userend 330 of the installation guide 300, places the opposite, installationend 340 of the installation guide in the trench 320 at the installationlocation 310. The body 305 of the installation guide 300 is ofsufficient length to extend from the installation location 310 tooutside the trench 320 to allow gripping of the guide 300 by theinstaller. The installer then places a pipe support 10 of the tenth oreleventh embodiment, with the shaped opening 123 first, onto the userend 330 held by the installer, and lets the pipe support 10 slide downalong the installation guide 300 to the installation location. If thepipe support, once it hits the bottom of the trench, is not in a desiredorientation, the installer rotates the installation guide 300 until thedesired orientation is reached. The installation guide is thenwithdrawn. The orientation of the pipe support 10 can also be controlledby rotating the installation guide either before or during the slidingof the support along the guide. The installation guide is also usefulfor the controlled installation of nested supports. In a specificembodiment of the installation guide 300, the guide includes aretractable stop (not shown) at the installation one end which stop canbe manually retracted by operating an actuator at the user end of theguide. With this embodiment of the guide, the end with the installationend with the retractable stop is placed in the trench and the pipesupport is mounted onto the user end. This allows the installer torelease the pipe support only after it was placed at the right locationand in the right orientation, by operating the actuator. Of course,should the installation of the pipe support have to be aborted, theretractable stop allows the installer to remove the pipe support fromthe trench by raising the installation guide out of the trench.

The pipe support of the present invention may be formed by a rotationalor injection molding process. High density plastics are recommended fortheir relatively high strength and light weight, for example apolypropylene, a polyethylene, and other types of bio ornon-biodegradable plastics. The material should be designed for extendedultraviolet (UV) radiation exposure.

The pipe support of the present invention may be used both ‘out oftrench’ or ‘in trench’. The ‘out of trench’ uses include supporting apipe along-side the open trench in preparation for laying the pipe, orfor stockpiling pipe for storage, preparation or otherwise.

The ‘in trench’ uses include support of a pipeline (as describedearlier). As is known to one skilled in the art the installation surface(for example, the bottom of the trench) should be relatively flat. Thisequally applies to the supporting surface for “out of trench”applications.

The spacing between consecutive pipe supports and the quantity useddepends on the potential pipe ‘sag’ which relates to the pipelinediameter, weight, and product flowing.

The load design may be determined by a person ordinarily skilled in theart using commercially available load/stress software. In one designconfiguration, a 3 m section of 36″ diameter could weigh about 1869 kgempty and 3600 kg during continuity testing (i.e. full of water), andthe suitably designed pipe support would be designed to support about10,000 kg or more. In an embodiment where the pipe support is to be usedin the trench, the outer dimension of the pipe support must be sized tofit within the trench.

In one embodiment, the pipe support is a relatively lower profilesupport, adapted to support a pipeline or section of pipe at a height ofbetween about 4″ to 12″. In one embodiment, the pipe support is arelatively larger height profile support, adapted to support a pipelineor section of pipe at a height of between about 24″ and about 48″.

The pipe support has been described in embodiments having two supportwalls. However, further support walls (i.e. the pipe support having twoor more support walls) may be used to distribute and transfer loads tothe ground.

The pipe support has been described in embodiments as being designed toallow improved current flow for cathodic protection, implying a steel ormetallic pipeline. However, the pipe support of the present inventionmay be used with non-steel or non-metallic piping as well.

In the preceding description, for purposes of explanation, numerousdetails are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding ofthe embodiments of the invention. However, it will be apparent to oneskilled in the art that these specific details are not required in orderto practice the invention.

The above-described embodiments of the invention are intended to beexamples only. Alterations, modifications and variations can be effectedto the particular embodiments by those of skill in the art withoutdeparting from the scope of the invention, which is defined solely bythe claims appended hereto.

What is claimed is:
 1. A pipe support for supporting a pipe section offa ground surface, the pipe support comprising: an outer support wallhaving a generally upwardly tapered frustoconical shape and a firstbottom end for engaging the ground surface and a first top end; an innersupport wall spaced inwardly from the outer support wall and haying agenerally downwardly tapered frustoconical shape with a second bottomend for engaging the ground surface, and a second top end, the secondbottom end being spaced apart from the first bottom end; a connectingportion for maintaining the outer support wall and the inner supportwall in a fixed, spaced apart relationship and extending between thefirst and second top ends the first and second top ends together withthe connecting portion forming the pipe saddle; the pipe saddle beinginterrupted by at least a pair of radially extending and intersectinggrooves for stacking of three or more like pipe supports in aninterlocking, non-nesting and stacked relationship; and the innersupport wall including, a plurality of spaced apart inner shaped wallsections extending between the grooves and interconnected byintermediate inner spacing webs located below the grooves and the outersupport wall comprises a plurality of spaced apart outer shaped wallsections extending between the grooves and interconnected by recessedintermediate outer spacing, webs located below the grooves, and theconnecting portion includes connecting: sections extending between thegrooves.
 2. The pipe support of claim 1, wherein each shaped wallsection has a trapezoidal or triangular shape.
 3. The pipe support ofclaim 1, wherein each of the outer shaped wall sections is upwardlytapered and at least one inner shaped wall section and at least oneouter shaped wall section are connected at their tapered ends by aconnecting section of the connecting portion, forming a pipe saddleportion flanked by the grooves and having a generally trapezoidal ortriangular shape.
 4. The pipe support of claim 1, wherein the outersupport wall is a ring of spaced apart outer shaped wall sectionsconnected by the intermediate outer spacing webs and the inner supportwall is a ring of spaced apart inner shaped wall sections connected bythe intermediate inner spacing webs and wherein respectively one outershaped wall section and one diametrically opposite inner shaped wallsection define a support pillar together with the pipe saddle portionextending therebetween.
 5. The pipe support of claim 4, wherein theintermediate spacing webs are recessed relative to the adjoining shapedwall sections.
 6. The pipe support of claim 5, wherein each recessedouter spacing web is connected to a diametrically opposite inner spacingweb by a. shoulder for supporting a vertically stacked like pipesupport, the shoulder being formed by a bottom of one of the grooves inthe pipe saddle.
 7. The pipe support of claim 1 for nesting with a likepipe support when stacked with the like pipe support in an alignedorientation wherein the shaped wall sections of the pipe support arealigned with the same shaped wall sections of the like pipe support andthe pipe support further including support stops for preventing jammingof the pipe support with the like pipe support when nested.
 8. The pipesupport of claim 1, wherein each outer shaped wall section includes apair of side by side wall portions connected by an interconnecting,concave wall portion, each pair of side by side wall portions beingspaced from adjacent pairs by one of the recessed intermediate outerspacing webs.
 9. The pipe support of claim 1, the plurality of shapedwall sections having a recess and a support stop, for receiving andsupporting another pipe support stacked vertically above the pipesupport.